I've heard that they look for people with interest in international law. You've got to prove that you're interested in this area. I don't think it's harder or easier... I think it really depends on your background.

I called windoor today and they said that they are waiting for my Feb. LSAT to enter my file in the system, so it looks as thought they haven't even looked at it yet. HOW LONG WILL I HAVE TO WAIT TO HEAR FROM THEM???

Here's some advice, the extra degree is useless. Here's a better idea, figure out if you want to practice in the US or Canada. If in Canada, don't waste time/money on the JD. If in the US, find a better school than a tier 3 like Detroit Mercy. No employers in the US OR Canada will be impressed by a JD from DM.

If you are unsure, get your llb, then take a llm in the US (from a reputable school), which will allow you to practice.

Actually DM is a T4, and a lot of employers in Michigan and the Midwest have a very good opinion of the school. Most of the laywers I know in the Detroit area went there, including one judge, and they are all doing very well. They may not have an incredible reputation, but that's not what everyone is concerned with, and the idea that "no employers are impressed by a JD from DM" is false.

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Agreed. It's frustrating that UDM doesn't carry the name it deserves and once did. At first when I was considering the school, I was turned off by its low ranking, but after comparing it to some of the other schools I was accepted to in Michigan and out of state, I decided to ignore the rankings. UDM's starting salary, placement and bar passage rates are fairly competitive, and a lot of top firms hire out of UDM due to the strong alumni base. Check out Dykema Gossett or Miller Canfield's web-pages, and you'll see that a lot of their newly employed attorneys are out of UDM. "No employer in the US will respect a JD from UDM" is an ignorant comment in my opinion.

I do understand the importance of USNWR, and surely this ranking system does say a lot about the reputation and prestige of schools, but I don't think that one should make a decision on where to attend based solely on this system. I'm sure that some t3 and t4 schools don't offer great opportunities to their grads, but from the research I have done personally, I have found that prospects are good for UDM students, especially for the type of law that I want to practice and especially in the Detroit area. I was accepted to some higher ranking schools, but when comparing average starting salaries, placement statistics, faculty, and bar passage rates, I decided that in my situation, these higher ranked schools were not worth having to move to a different city. I am confident that UDM will provide me with a good legal education, and I am happy with my decision.

Here's some advice, the extra degree is useless. Here's a better idea, figure out if you want to practice in the US or Canada. If in Canada, don't waste time/money on the JD. If in the US, find a better school than a tier 3 like Detroit Mercy. No employers in the US OR Canada will be impressed by a JD from DM.

If you are unsure, get your llb, then take a llm in the US (from a reputable school), which will allow you to practice.

I think this is poor advice. I don't think that one would be well prepared to practice law in the United States after completing a law degree that focuses on the common law of another country even if one were to obtain an llm.

With regard to what originally attracted me to this post, my younger brother graduated from Detroit Mercy and works as a clerk in Lansing; he does very well after only practicing for two years although he also did well in law school.

I am signed up to begin an llm program in the fall at UofM after completing a JD at Michigan State. Even though I believe Michigan State is ranked higher than UDM (I could be wrong), I do know from working in Michigan State's Admissions Office two years ago that UDM placed more graduates at the bigger firms in Michigan, many of which are in the Detroit area. At the time, UDM was MI State's biggest competitor in MI with Wayne State, I believe, at the head of the game (After UM, of course). Personally, I was not impressed with Michigan State, but my brother loved Detroit Mercy. He thinks that Dean Gordon will do a lot for the school. I believe there are plans for a new facility, and even though the school was forced to cut admission standards, he thinks that the schools overall reputation will improve over time. Not to say that UDM doesn't have a good rep in MI, because I know that it does.